Inspiring Conversations with Dwayna Williams of TGND Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dwayna Williams.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a self-described “millennial mompreneur” with a passion for creating brand awareness and exposure. After graduating from North Carolina Central University, Georgia State University, and working in the corporate and freelance workspace, I pursued my quest to be a fresh and creative Public Relations and Brand Strategist. My love for media relations, talent management, and influencer marketing grew in the city of Atlanta.

TGND Consulting (formerly known as Thee Girls Next Door, LLC) manifested from a conversation my twin sister and I had back in 2016. We wanted to work in a field where we felt a sense of purpose and decided to create that avenue for ourselves. My passion to do PR work and newfound motherhood was the driving force for my pursuit into entrepreneurship.

Our team takes pride in amplifying the presence of changemakers, purpose-driven entrepreneurs, and experts. We work with women-led small businesses, lifestyle brands, and authors. The girls next door allure simplicity and charm; we’re down-to-earth, supportive, and approachable. Our story may be similar to many young minority girls that always dreamt of having something more. We didn’t grow up as the traditional “all-American” girls, but we’ve created a life of ” the all-American” women. Our background has shaped our world into who we are today. As mompreneurs in the creative space, we are enhancing magical brands and businesses one brand at a time. We are Double the Trouble, Double the Brand.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been quite a few learning lessons as the road to entrepreneurship is not easy and can often be glamorized. In 2017, I became a mompreneur who was fully immersed in the freelancer mindset. As a PR freelancer, I obtained features for clients on NBC, ABC, CBS, Sister Circle, Tom Joyner Morning Show, U.S. News & World Report, Fox Sports, Thrive Global, Medium, Upscale Magazine, Heart & Soul, Ebony/Jet, and more. There was so much excitement around what I could create for other agencies. I grew my skills, worked in PR full-time, and made good news, all while working from home with my newborn. In the beginning, I often struggled to give myself grace, shift my mindset, and set boundaries. Nor was I living on my own terms. I quickly began to lose sight of the business and felt unfulfilled. Eventually, I started to experience burnout. I had a new baby, worked multiple contracts, studied to obtain my Masters, and started a new business all in a matter of a year. I knew that I had to do some severe mindset work because I began to ask myself, “are you even qualified to run a business?” As I scale, I’m learning to inhale and exhale along the way, vacation, nap, whatever I need to do to keep my fuel going.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
TGND Consulting provides public relations, brand imaging and strategy, and social media management to women-led businesses, authors, and lifestyle brands. We are taking over the PR industry with a passion for building a brand’s image through publicity, digital platforms, and style guides. TGND’s mission is to guide and develop brand awareness through new and innovative expertise. To keep our brands “fresh” in the eyes of the media and digital sphere, we continually evolve our strategies. We help clients understand how brand image and social media marketing efforts serve a deeper function of strengthening their PR campaigns.

We’re excited to be in the process of launching our first ebook, BrandU Architect™. Our goal is to create magic for countless companies, and with BrandU Architect™, we can do that at a larger scale. A brand is much more than the name it holds. It is a vision, an idea, a solution that was born out of a motive. It is a story, a story that connects the audience with that vision. When told in the right way, this story can transform the reach and performance of your brand. Storytelling allows consumers to see the human in a brand. It gives brand personality and makes it easier for people to know who you are, value, and trust you. BrandU Architect™ helps businesses tell their story and build the connection, credibility, and trust that serve as the foundation for every successful venture.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
During my adolescent and preteen years, I attended The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club in Newark, New Jersey. I participated in everything you can think of: basketball, cheerleading, Sunday choir, dance team, overnight summer camp (Camp Tecumseh), volunteer work, and recruiting. Shortly after joining, my sister and I (along with staff) went out into the streets of Newark recruiting boys and girls to join the Club. We helped create a culture and environment that kids and teens loved to attend. I firmly believe this is why I’m standing here today, in the field of public relations and marketing. Building relationships and creating brand awareness have been something that has always lit a fire in me. I’m a connector, storyteller, and creative! I’ve been doing it since I was eight years old.

Contact Info:

• Email: info@tgndconsuling.com
• Website: https://www.tgndconsulting.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tgndconsulting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TGNDConsulting/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/tgnd_consulting

Image Credits:
MaxRes Photography, Aaren Camille, No Signal Creatives, LLC